Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 687

Ludwik was still sprawled in the mud, unmoved, his once pristine shirt now a testament to his fall from grace. His face, once strikingly handsome, was marred, his lips pressed tight as if holding back the pain.

He was a shadow of the man Whitney remembered. Ludwik, with his imposing presence and icy demeanor, always seemed untouchable, an enigma. Even on his worst days, there was a certain cleanliness to his aura that was captivating. Now, with his beard unkempt and his face hollow, he seemed lifeless.

What could have brought about such a downfall? Was it really just the Lippert family's financial ruin?

He wasn't one to break easily...

"Hey, wake up..." Whitney bent down to nudge him, eventually resorting to calling his name, "Ludwik, do you even recognize me?"

The man, drunk beyond belief, slowly opened his eyes. Those once sharp glances that could cut through steel were now dulled, hidden beneath heavy eyelids.

He squinted, struggling to make out the figure before him. Though her face seemed to blur in and out of focus, her familiar scent enveloped him, stirring something within.

It was as if her presence alone could resurrect his broken spirit.

"Whitney...what are you doing here?" he managed through clenched teeth, offering a weak smile in what he believed to be a dream, "Is it nighttime? I love the night... It's the only time I can dream of you. In my dreams, you're not mad, you don't scold me... you even smile at me."

Whitney bit her lip, her heart heavy with unspoken words.

Ignoring his drunken ramblings, she insisted, "Stand up."

But Ludwik barely reacted.

Faced with his silence, Whitney sighed. How could he get himself into such a state?

Despite her frustration, she couldn't leave him there. Bending down, she helped him to his feet.

Ludwik, attempting to push her away, murmured, "Don't touch me... I'm filthy... Don't get yourself dirty."

"Stop talking nonsense." Whitney struggled to keep hold of his wavering form, "Where are you staying? I'll call you a cab."

Noticing the warmth on her hand, she looked down to see two deep gashes in his palm, bleeding profusely.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she decided, "Forget it, I'll take you home."

"It's late... You should go home to your kids," Ludwik slurred, trying to push her away as he staggered forward.

Yet, their entangled hands made it difficult to part.

Fearing he might collapse at any moment, Whitney reluctantly pulled him across the street and stuffed him into her BMW.

She lied to Sandy in a text, saying she was caught up with something, before starting the car.

Passing a pharmacy, Whitney stopped to buy antiseptics and bandages, realizing she hadn't gotten his address.

Deciding against searching for it, she drove him to a nearby hotel.

After a struggle, she managed to get the heavy man into an elevator and into a room, dumping him on the sofa.

Exhausted, she dropped a bag of medical supplies next to him, intending to leave.

Yet, seeing his cracked lips and the deep cuts on his hands, she couldn't help but start running a bath.

As she undressed him, revealing a body still sculpted despite his condition, she averted her gaze, her emotions a mix of concern and detachment.

Noticing a patch of bandages around his waist, suspicion grew within her. Shane had mentioned he'd been severely beaten and needed medical attention. Considering the risk of infection from his mud-caked pants, she hesitantly removed them as well.

His muffled discomfort and the sight of more bandages wrapped around his lower abdomen left Whitney in shock.

Was his core injury the reason for his despair? Could it be that the cause of his drunken stupor and despondency was a wound that rendered him... less than whole?

As she leaned in to inspect, Ludwik's eyes fluttered open, fixing on her with a lucid intensity she hadn't seen in him tonight.

"Whitney..." he murmured, his voice a mix of disbelief and tenderness, "You're still here... I thought I was dreaming."

Seeing her there, he smiled through tears, a mix of joy and sorrow, "My wife... I've resigned to love you in silence. Even if you could forgive me, I'm not the man you deserve anymore." His words, laden with emotion and regret, hung heavy in the air, revealing a depth of pain Whitney had only begun to understand.

"Sweetheart, you have no clue about the rollercoaster I've been on..."

Whitney struggled with all her might to get free!

But the man, clearly battered and bruised, was immovable, pinning her to the ground.

She had no desire to get tangled up in his drunken ramblings. "Let go of me..."